Svitlovodsk

History

The city was developed and spread outward from the dam. The original point of the city was to house all of the dam workers and to be near the dam. Now most of the electricity is generated from the dam and is used in the town. The definite start of the city was the 1950s — before that, Svetlovodsk (literally - Bright Waterway) didn't exist, the name was invented by Khrushchev's regime, to replace the town of Novogeorgievsk that was in the flood plain of the new hydro-electric station. When the dam was done, the then Soviet leader Khrushchev attended the opening ceremonies, the city started to expand with all of the energy. It expanded westward along the coast and generally, the wester the city, the more recent it is. In local culture, the city is known as Old City and New City, but, of course it is still the same Svetlovodsk. The reason for having such a power plant out in the middle of nowhere was simple: the power was needed for smelting of defense industry grade metals and alloys, the facility being "Secret" for many years, but is still operating today as a private enterprise.

Environment

The area around Svetlovodsk is relatively clean. The city itself has many plants and trees, the most noted is the rows of trees that go linear to Lenin Street. The city has itself been old and has some examples of old trees. The area around the city is relatively clean, mostly being small villages and forest. The one noted polluting facility is the smelter. It's been operating for decades, without any pollution controls during the Soviet era, and with little control from the current Ukrainian government. Generations of people were exposed to heavy metals pollution, though no definite studies are known to exist. The reservoir has been polluted for years, and in summertime green algae takes over parts of it, producing fish-kills and introducing odors to the area.

Transportation

The transportation in the city is limited to buses and a train the runs along the dam and goes to village. There are plenty of private run bus lines, using mini buses, though the main buses still work. There is a working bus station near the east side of the city.

Highlights of the city

The townhall is in the "Old Svetlovodsk" area, the neverending fire is just below near the airplane memorial. The city is a birthplace of the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and Ukrainian politician Mykola Martynenko. The Bazaar is in the "New Svetlovodsk, featuring lots of goods for buying and selling. Near it is two important memorials. Below them are a series of water fountains that go downward. There is a bustop near the dam where buses depart to many locations, as well a train station.